Oct. 7, 2021

There isn’t official data to confirm this, but anecdotally it has become clear: A growing number of people are considering becoming their own boss.

The past two groups that have gone through the Startup Sioux Falls CO.STARTERS incubator program have been far larger than those who have participated in similar programs in the past — to the point that not everyone who applies is accepted.

For those who are, the program has become a way to intentionally focus on growing their business with ongoing feedback.

“Collaboration, confidence and connections are benefits that I received,” said Rhiannon Israel, whose pitch for her business, Welcome Sioux Falls LLC, was ranked tops in the most recent cohort.

“It is an amazing opportunity to advance your business forward, regardless of what stage of entrepreneurship you are in. It was really energizing to be in a room of dedicated, self-motivated individuals who showed up each week to give just as much back to fellow entrepreneurs as they would gain from each session.”

Applications are open until Oct. 10 for the next cohort. Click here to learn more.

“We continue to see a mixture of small-business owners and high-growth startup entrepreneurs participate in the program,” said Brienne Maner, executive director of Startup Sioux Falls.

“Cohort-based learning with founders from diverse backgrounds continues to be one of the most important benefits of the program. Entrepreneurship is hard, and relationships help make it easier.”

As part of today’s Innovation Expo, a panel of business owners who participated in the accelerator program was featured. The discussion was led by Eric Weisser, the CEO of Weisser Distributing and the facilitator of the inaugural CO.STARTERS cohort.

“It’s been months since we finished what would prove to be a renaissance for me and my business. Yet somehow I still find myself bringing it up in conversation,” said Corri Poore, owner of Little Tykes University.

“The CO.STARTERS curriculum, facilitation and community were the catalyst that I needed. I looked forward to sitting down with this group weekly. This course helped me to identify precisely what I want my business to be,” said Poore, the winner of the first Startup Pitch Night.

That’s a common theme, said Sara Lum, program and marketing manager for Startup Sioux Falls.

“The unique value I have seen CO.STARTERS provide for participants is the focus on the customer,” she said. “Many people have ideas, but the difference between an idea and a sustainable business is having customers. Talking to customers can be an intimidating part of starting a business, but honest customer insights can be what helps an entrepreneur turn a business dream into a reality.”

The program is targeted at both aspiring and seasoned entrepreneurs and is designed to leave them with a deeper understanding of how to create a sustainable business, articulate their business model and repeat the process for future business ideas.

Taylor Hoekstra, founder of e-commerce site PopFly, said he also benefited from gaining customer feedback and made consistent progress because of it.

“From there, the entrepreneur or freelancer is increasingly equipped to do the things that matter most, like building and selling,” he said.

The fall 2021 cohort will be facilitated by Larry Young of Boiling Frog Development. The course consists of 11 sessions; the last session will be the Startup Pitch Night featuring cohort members.

The total course fee is $600, which includes materials. Financial assistance is available for those who qualify. Participants also will engage in Q&As with local entrepreneurs, get support from Startup Sioux Falls staff during the cohort and post-graduation, and receive invitations to alumni networking and workshop events.

Editor’s note: The winner of the first Startup Pitch Night was Corri Poore of Little Tykes University. The winner was incorrectly identified when the story was first published.